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- Title
- The mainstream media's influence on students' perceptions of the study of criminology
- Author(s)
- Matthew Shirlaw (author), Niki Huitson (author)
- Date
- 2008
- Abstract
- Television crime dramas such as “CSI: Miami“, “NYPD Blue”, and “Law and Order” have glamourized the careers of criminal justice personnel by shaping their job descriptions into ones which are exciting, highly eventful, and immediately rewarding. In addition, television advertisements from American career technical schools in the United States often inaccurately portray their students in criminology programs. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between the amount of media consumed and subjects' perceptions of the study of criminology. Data were collected through an anonymous pencil and paper survey. Participants were randomly selected from 100-level criminology classes at the University College of the Fraser Valley (n=131). Results suggest that television and radio consumption are significantly related to inaccurate perceptions of the study of criminology. No other forms of media are shown to be related. Recommendations for future research include a focus on marketing criminology programs and studies examining students of all ages. The implications for post-secondary criminology programs are discussed.
- Subject(s)
- Mass media and criminal justice, Television crime shows--Influence, Television crime shows--Social aspects, Criminology--Study and teaching--Social aspects, Criminology--Public opinion, Criminal justice personnel--Training of--Social aspects, College students--Attitudes
- Department
- Criminology, Humanities and Social Sciences
- Title
- Diagnosis of hyperthyroidism in cats with mild chronic kidney disease
- Author(s)
- Jennifer Wakeling (author), K Moore (author), Jonathan Elliott (author), Harriet Syme (author)
- Date
- 2008
- Abstract
- Objectives: In cats with concurrent hyperthyroidism and non‐thyroidal illnesses such as chronic kidney disease, total thyroxine concentrations are often within the laboratory reference range (19 to 55 nmol/l). The objective of the study was to determine total thyroxine, free thyroxine and/or thyroid‐stimulating hormone concentrations in cats with mild chronic kidney disease. Methods: Total thyroxine, free thyroxine and thyroid‐stimulating hormone were measured in three groups. The hyperthyroidism‐chronic kidney disease group (n=16) had chronic kidney disease and clinical signs compatible with hyperthyroidism but a plasma total thyroxine concentration within the reference range. These cats were subsequently confirmed to be hyperthyroid at a later date. The chronic kidney disease‐only group (n=20) had chronic kidney disease but no signs of hyperthyroidism. The normal group (n=20) comprised clinically healthy senior (>8 years) cats. Results: In 4 of 20 euthyroid chronic kidney disease cats, free thyroxine concentrations were borderline or high (≥40 pmol/l). In the hyperthyroidism‐chronic kidney disease group, free thyroxine was high in 15 of 16 cats, while thyroid‐stimulating hormone was low in 16 of 16 cats. Most hyperthyroidism‐chronic kidney disease cats (14 of 16) had total thyroxine greater than 30 nmol/l, whereas all the chronic kidney disease‐only cats had total thyroxine less than 30 nmol/l. Clinical Significance: The combined measurement of free thyroxine with total thyroxine or thyroid‐stimulating hormone may be of merit in the diagnosis of hyperthyroidism in cats with chronic kidney disease.
- Subject(s)
- Cats--Diseases, Kidney diseases in animals, Hyperthyroidism--Diagnosis
- Department
- Veterinary Technology, Science and Technology
- Title
- Evidence that viral abundance across oceans and lakes is driven by different biological factors
- Author(s)
- Jessica L. Clasen (author), Sean M. Brigden (author), Jerome P. Payet (author), Curtis A. Suttle (author)
- Date
- 2008
- Abstract
- 1. Samples from 16 lakes in central ( n = 145) and western ( n = 12) North America, the coastal northeast Pacific ( n = 302) and the western Canadian Arctic Oceans ( n = 142) were collected and analysed for viral, bacterial and cyanobacterial abundances and chlorophyll- a concentration. 2. Viral abundance was significantly different among the environments. It was highest in the coastal Pacific Ocean and lowest in the coastal Arctic Ocean. The abundances of bacteria and cyanobacteria as well as chlorophyll- a concentrations also differed significantly among the environments, with both bacterial abundance and chlorophyll- a concentration highest in lakes. As a consequence, the association of these variables with viral abundance varied among the environments. 3. Discriminant analyses with the abundance data indicated that the marine and freshwater environments were predictably different from each other. Multiple-regression analysis included bacterial and cyanobacterial abundances, and chlorophyll- a concentration as significant variables in explaining viral abundance in lakes. In regression models for the coastal Pacific Ocean, bacterial and cyanobacterial abundances were significant variables, and for the coastal Arctic Ocean viral abundance was predicted by bacterial abundance and chlorophyll- a concentration. 4. The relationship of viral and bacterial abundance differed between the investigated freshwater and marine environments, probably because of differences in viral production and loss rates. However, freshwaters had fewer viruses compared to bacteria, despite previously documented higher burst sizes and frequencies of infected cells, suggesting that loss rates may be more important in lakes. 5. Together, these findings suggest that there are different drivers of viral abundance in different aquatic environments, including lakes and oceans. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Department
- Biology
- Title
- Social network and distance correlates of criminal associates involved in illicit drug production
- Author(s)
- Aili E. Malm (author), J B. Kinney (author), Nahanni R. Pollard (author)
- Date
- 2008
- Abstract
- This research examines the relationship between demographic, social network, and criminal history variables, and the distance between the home and locations of individuals (associates) involved in an illicit drug production network. The authors integrate principals from environmental criminology and routine activities theories, journey to crime research, and social network analysis in order to explore the geographic and social space of criminal associates. The results show that the distance between individuals in the drug production criminal network and their associates vary systematically with network characteristics (centrality measures) but not with demographics or criminal history variables.
- Subject(s)
- Drug traffic, Drug dealers, Social groups--Moral and ethical aspects, Social networks--Moral and ethical aspects
- Department
- Criminology, Humanities and Social Sciences
- Title
- Developing a four-year baccalaureate degree in applied psychology: experiences in degree development at a former two-year postsecondary institution
- Author(s)
- Kevin Hamilton (author), Steve Charlton (author), Roger Elmes (author)
- Date
- 2008
- Abstract
- What does it take to plan for and move from a two-year to a four-year institution and implement a baccalaureate degree in applied psychology? Here’s how Kwantlen University College (BC) did it.
- Subject(s)
- Kwantlen Polytechnic University--Curricula, Education, Higher--Curricula--British Columbia--Case studies, Education, Higher--Curricula--Planning--Case studies, Psychology, Applied--Study and teaching (Higher), Curriculum planning--British Columbia--Case studies, Bachelor of arts degree, Degrees, Academic
- Department
- Psychology, Humanities and Social Sciences
- Title
- Power and beauty of mathematics in an Astronomy for Liberal Arts majors and an introduction to computers course
- Date
- 2008
- Abstract
-
Background and Objective
Many studies have been done on math anxiety in college classrooms. We believed that student’s negative attitudes towards mathematics is a major barrier to their success in these college courses, so the two of us set out on a collaborative study of these attitudes and what we could do about them. The objective of this study was to see how students attitudes towards the beauty, power, usefulness, fun of mathematics in the course and the world around them change throughout a semester. The idea is that once we know if there is a change, we can enhance our classroom activities to increase the change.
Methods and ResultsStudents were given attitude surveys at the start and the end of the semester. As well, they were asked to rate their confidence in their math skills for the previous week of work and to identify what activity (if any) helped then with the math they had used in class that week. No harm was done to these students! They increased their positive attitudes towards math throughout the semester. Traditional methods of teaching mathematics with many clear examples and in-class time to practice are successful in teaching the mathematics.
Conclusions An Astronomy for liberal arts major and an introduction to computers course both increase students positive attitudes to mathematics. The students started off with attitudes that were more positive than we had thought they would. Students require thorough review of the basic math skills, with the need for in-class time to practice these skills repeatedly (drill) in the context of authentic questions relevant to the discipline. - Subject(s)
- Math anxiety in College
- Title
- Protecting the rights of International ‘orphans’: evaluating the alternatives
- Author(s)
- Lucy Le Mare (author), Karyn Audet (author), Karen Kurytnik (author), Tom O'Neill (editor), Dawn Zinga (editor)
- Date
- 2008
- Abstract
- The chapter, "Protecting the rights of International ‘orphans’: evaluating the alternatives" was written by the listed authors including Karyn Audet (Douglas College Faculty). Consisting of thirteen essays by prominent scholars, this volume is an in-depth and interdisciplinary exploration of the significance of children's rights, and a tremendous resource for those working with children and youth in institutional and educational settings. (From publisher description)
- Subject(s)
- Orphans--Civil rights, Orphans--Government policy, Children’s rights
- Department
- Psychology, Humanities and Social Sciences
- Title
- Offender coercion in treatment: a meta-analysis of effectiveness
- Author(s)
- Karen K. Parhar (author), J. S. Wormith (author), Dena M. Derkzen (author), Adele M. Beauregard (author)
- Date
- 2008
- Abstract
- Mandating offenders to attend correctional treatment is a controversial function of the justice system, in part because of the uncertainty about the effectiveness of such practice. A meta-analysis was conducted to compare the effectiveness of mandated, coerced, and voluntary correctional treatment in reducing recidivism. A search of correctional treatment studies resulted in 129 studies meeting the inclusion criteria. In general, mandated treatment was found to be ineffective in several analyses, particularly when the treatment was located in custodial settings, whereas voluntary treatment produced significant treatment effect sizes regardless of setting. Few significant differences in effect sizes were found between levels of coercion. The implications of mandating correctional treatment for offenders are discussed.
- Subject(s)
- Correctional psychology, Criminals--Rehabilitation, Corrections--Evaluation, Recidivism--Prevention, Involuntary treatment, Meta-analysis
- Department
- Psychology, Humanities and Social Sciences
- Title
- Continuing the journey: articulating dimensions of feminist participatory action research (FPAR)
- Author(s)
- Colleen Reid (author), Wendy Frisby (author), Peter Reason (editor), Hilary Bradbury (editor)
- Date
- 2008
- Abstract
- The chapter, "Continuing the journey: articulating dimensions of feminist participatory action research (FPAR)" was written by the listed authors including Colleen Reid (Douglas College Faculty). Building on the strength of the seminal first edition, the The SAGE Handbook of Action Research has been completely updated to bring chapters in line with the latest qualitative and quantitative approaches in this field of social inquiry. Peter Reason and Hilary Bradbury have introduced new part commentaries that draw links between different contributions and show their interrelations. This volume is an essential resource for scholars and professionals engaged in social and political inquiry, organizational research and education. The primary aim of this chapter is to begin to articulate dimensions of feminist participatory action research (FPAR). In developing the dimensions, we considered the following questions: What are the advantages of integrating feminist research, participatory action research, and action research into a FPAR framework? What epistemological and methodological dimensions should be integrated into FPAR? What questions could those involved in FPAR ask themselves to continually refine and advance how they go about conducting this type of research? We begin the chapter by providing a brief overview of recent developments in feminist research. In some depth and with the aid of guiding questions, we then articulate the dimensions of FPAR that are, in part, based on our experiences. They include: (1) centering gender and women's experiences while challenging patriarchy; (2) accounting for intersectionality; (3) honoring voice and difference through participatory research processes; (4) exploring new forms of representation; (5) reflexivity; and (6) honoring many forms of action. -- From publisher description.
- Subject(s)
- Action research, Participant observation, Feminist theory
- Department
- Therapeutic Recreation
- Title
- Creating physical education in remote Australian schools: Overcoming the tyranny of distance through communities of practice
- Author(s)
- Tony Rossi (author), Karen Sirna (author)
- Date
- 2008
- Abstract
- This paper reports on a qualitative case study undertaken in a remote part of Queensland, Australia. While there is some modest agreement about the capacity of contemporary information technologies to overcome the problems of schooling in areas of extreme remoteness, generally, children educated in such contexts are considered to be disadvantaged. The experiential areas of the curriculum, which often require specific teaching expertise, present the greatest challenge to teachers, and of these, physical education is perhaps the most problematic. This research reports on a case study of three remote Queensland multi-age primary (elementary) schools that come together to form a community of practice to overcome the problems of teaching physical education in such difficult circumstances. Physical education is constructed in these contexts by blurring the school and community boundaries, by contextualizing the subject content to make it relevant, and by adjusting the school day to accommodate potential physical education experiences. Each community gathers its collective experience to ensure the widest possible experiences are made available for the children. In doing so, the children develop a range of competencies that enable seamless transition to boarding high schools. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Department
- Sport Science
- Title
- Hypocretin/orexin preferentially activates caudomedial ventral tegmental area dopamine neurons
- Author(s)
- Nicole M. Vittoz (author), Brooke Schmeichel (author), Craig W. Berridge (author)
- Date
- 2008
- Abstract
- The hypocretin/orexin (HCRT) neuropeptide system modulates behavioral state and state‐dependent processes via actions on multiple neuromodulatory transmitter systems. Recent studies indicate that HCRT selectively increases dopamine (DA) neurotransmission within the prefrontal cortex (PFC) and the shell subregion of the nucleus accumbens (NAs), but not the core subregion of the nucleus accumbens (NAc). The circuitry underlying the differential actions of HCRT across distinct DA systems is unclear. The current study examined whether HCRT preferentially activates PFC‐ and NAs‐projecting relative to NAc‐projecting DA neurons within the VTA. One week after infusion of the retrograde tracer fluorogold (FG) into the medial PFC, NAc or NAs, animals received a ventricular infusion of HCRT‐1. Subsequent analyses conducted across the rostral‐caudal extent of the VTA determined the degree to which: (i) Fos‐immunoreactivity (ir) was observed within tyrosine hydroxylase (TH)‐ir neurons; (ii) TH‐ir was observed within FG‐ir neurons; and (iii) Fos‐ir was observed within FG‐ir neurons. HCRT significantly increased Fos‐ir in VTA DA (TH‐ir) neurons, primarily in a restricted population of small‐to‐medium‐sized DA neurons located within the caudomedial VTA. Furthermore, within this region of the VTA, PFC‐ and NAs‐projecting TH‐ir neurons were more likely to contain Fos‐ir than were NAc‐projecting TH‐ir neurons. These results provide novel evidence that HCRT selectively activates PFC‐ and NAs‐projecting DA neurons within the VTA, and suggest a potential role for HCRT in PFC‐ and NAs‐dependent cognitive and/or affective processes. Moreover, these and other observations suggest that the dysregulation of HCRT–DA interactions could contribute to cognitive/affective dysfunction associated with a variety of behavioral disorders.
- Subject(s)
- Dopamine, Dopaminergic neurons, Orexins, Nucleus accumbens, Prefrontal cortex
- Department
- Psychology, Humanities and Social Sciences
- Title
- Structurally controlled iron oxide mineralization in the Iron Range Mountain and Mount Thompson region, British Columbia
- Author(s)
- Reid D. Staples (author), D. Marshall (author), K. Fecova (author), C. C. Downie (author), D. J. Thorkelson (author), L. Loughrey (author)
- Date
- 2008
- Abstract
- Structurally controlled iron oxide alteration occurs within and along the Iron Range fault, a steeply west-dipping normal fault. Iron oxide alteration occurs as massive lenses, breccia infilling, and veins in a cataclastic quartz-albite breccia. Textures in thin section suggest multiple episodes of magnetite, hematite, quartz, and pyrite growth. Fluid-inclusion studies indicate two dominant, twophase fluid-inclusion assemblages within predominantly quartz and albite, i.e. brine + H2O vapour and brine + CO2 vapour. Chlorite thermometry from six microprobe analyses indicates temperatures of 275 to 325°C. The voluminous early sodic and relatively limited potassic alteration accompanied by ironoxide-rich and sulphide-poor alteration in the Iron Range deposit appears to be consistent with basinal brine fl uid-source models (with no magmatic component) for iron oxide-copper-gold-type mineralization.
- Department
- Earth and Environmental Sciences
- Title
- Asylum (Riverview Hospital Story Project: Part One)
- Author(s)
- Lisa G. Nielsen (Director), Heidi Currie (Film producer), Norma McMurdo (Interviewee)
- Date
- 2008
- Abstract
- An interview with nurse Norma McMurdo, who reflects on her time working at Riverview Hospital in Coquitlam, B.C. from 1949 to 1951. Includes compassionate memories of lesbian patients who were not mentally ill. Part One of the Riverview Hospital Project.
- Subject(s)
- Essondale Asylum (Coquitlam, B.C.), Riverview Hospital (Coquitlam, B.C.), Psychiatric nurses--British Columbia--Interviews, Psychiatric hospitals--British Columbia--Coquitlam--History, Mental health facitilities--British Columbia--Coquitlam--History, Riverview Hospital Story Project, Coquitlam, British Columbia
- Title
- Three poems
- Author(s)
- Elizabeth Bachinsky (author)
- Date
- 2008
- Abstract
- Poems include: "Dear Dr. Heung", "Int. back of police car. Night or notes for a film in which an international pedophile returns to Canada to await trial and certain imprisonment" and "Pig iron".
- Department
- Creative Writing, Language, Literature and Performing Arts
- Title
- When cross-modal attention fails
- Author(s)
- David J. Prime (author), John J. McDonald (author), Jessica Green (author), Lawrence M. Ward (author)
- Date
- 2008
- Abstract
- There is now convincing evidence that an involuntary shift of spatial attention to a stimulus in one modality can affect the processing of stimuli in other modalities, but inconsistent findings across different paradigms have led to controversy. Such inconsistencies have important implications for theories of cross-modal attention. The authors investigated why orienting attention to a visual event sometimes influences responses to subsequent sounds and why it sometimes fails to do so. They examined visual-cue-on-auditory-target effects in two paradigms--implicit spatial discrimination (ISD) and orthogonal cuing (OC)--that have yielded conflicting findings in the past. Consistent with previous research, visual cues facilitated responses to same-side auditory targets in the ISD paradigm but not in the OC paradigm. Furthermore, in the ISD paradigm, visual cues facilitated responses to auditory targets only when the targets were presented directly at the cued location, not when they appeared above or below the cued location. This pattern of results confirms recent claims that visual cues fail to influence responses to auditory targets in the OC paradigm because the targets fall outside the focus of attention.
- Subject(s)
- Distraction (Psychology), Auditory perception, Visual perception, Space perception
- Department
- Psychology, Humanities and Social Sciences
- Title
- The social tasks of learning to become a physical education teacher: Considering the HPE subject department as a community of practice
- Author(s)
- Karen Sirna (author), Richard Tinning (author), Toni Rossi (author)
- Date
- 2008
- Abstract
- Initial teacher education (ITE) students participate in various workplaces within schools and in doing so, form understandings about the numerous, and at times competing, expectations of teachers' work. Through these experiences they form understandings about themselves as health and physical education (HPE) teachers. This paper examines the ways communities of practice within HPE subject department offices function as sites of workplace learning for student teachers. In particular this research focused on how ITE students negotiate tacit and contradictory expectations as well as social tasks during the practicum and the ways in which their understandings are mediated through participation in the workspace. Qualitative methods of survey and semi-structured interview were used to collect data on a cohort of student teachers during and following their major (10 week) practicum experience. Analysis was informed by theories of communities of practice (Wenger, 1998), workplace learning (Billett, 2001), and social task systems (Doyle, 1977). It was evident that considerable effort, attention, and energy was expended on various interrelated social tasks aimed at building positive relationships with their supervisor and other HPE teachers at the school. The social dynamics were highly nuanced and required a game-like approach. In our view the complexity that student teachers must negotiate in striving for an excellent evaluation warrants specific attention in physical education teacher education (PETE) programs. This study raises questions regarding our responsibilities in sending student teachers into contexts that might even be described as toxic. We offer some suggestions for how PETE might better support students going into practicum contexts that might be regarded as problematic workplaces. ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR
- Department
- Sport Science
- Title
- Tracking the location of visuospatial attention in a contingent capture paradigm
- Author(s)
- Émilie Leblanc (author), David J. Prime (author), Pierre Jolicœur (author)
- Date
- 2008
- Abstract
- Currently, there is considerable controversy regarding the degree to which top-down control can affect attentional capture by salient events. According to the contingent capture hypothesis, attentional capture by a salient stimulus is contingent on a match between the properties of the stimulus and top-down attentional control settings. In contrast, bottom-up saliency accounts argue that the initial capture of attention is determined solely by the relative salience of the stimulus, and the effect of top-down attentional control is limited to effects on the duration of attentional engagement on the capturing stimulus. In the present study, we tested these competing accounts by utilizing the N2pc event-related potential component to track the locus of attention during an attentional capture task. The results were completely consistent with the contingent capture hypothesis: An N2pc wave was elicited only by distractors that possessed the target-defining attribute. In a second experiment, we expanded upon this finding by exploring the effect of target-distractor similarity on the duration that attention dwells at the distractor location. In this experiment, only distractors possessing the target-defining attribute (color) captured visuospatial attention to their location and the N2pc increased in duration and in magnitude when the capture distractor also shared a second target attribute (category membership). Finally, in three additional control experiments, we replicated the finding of an N2pc generated by distractors, only if they shared the target-defining attribute. Thus, our results demonstrate that attentional control settings influence both which stimuli attract attention and to what extent they are processed.
- Subject(s)
- Neglect (Neurology), Stimulus compounding, Substantia nigra, Distraction (Psychology), Attribution (Social psychology), Statistical hypothesis testing
- Department
- Psychology, Humanities and Social Sciences
- Title
- An essential role for MCL-1 in ATR-mediated CHK1 phosphorylation
- Author(s)
- Sarwat Jamil (author), Shadi Mojtabavi (author), Payman Hojabrpour (author), Stefanie Cheah (author), Vincent Duronio (author)
- Date
- 2008
- Abstract
- Here we report a novel role for myeloid cell leukemia 1 (Mcl-1), a Bcl-2 family member, in regulating phosphorylation and activation of DNA damage checkpoint kinase, Chk1. Increased expression of nuclear Mcl-1 and/or a previously reported short nuclear form of Mcl-1, snMcl-1, was observed in response to treatment with low concentrations of etoposide or low doses of UV irradiation. We showed that after etoposide treatment, Mcl-1 could coimmunoprecipitate with the regulatory kinase, Chk1. Chk1 is a known regulator of DNA damage response, and its phosphorylation is associated with activation of the kinase. Transient transfection with Mcl-1 resulted in an increase in the expression of phospho-Ser345 Chk1, in the absence of any evidence of DNA damage, and accumulation of cells in G2. Importantly, knockdown of Mcl-1 expression abolished Chk1 phosphorylation in response to DNA damage. Mcl-1 could induce Chk1 phosphorylation in ATM-negative (ataxia telangectasia mutated) cells, but this response was lost in ATR (AT mutated and Rad3 related)-defective cells. Low levels of UV treatment also caused transient increases in Mcl-1 levels and an ATR-dependent phosphorylation of Chk1. Together, our results strongly support an essential regulatory role for Mcl-1, perhaps acting as an adaptor protein, in controlling the ATR-mediated regulation of Chk1 phosphorylation.
- Department
- Biology
- Title
- Making biggest bigger: Port Metro Vancouver's 21st century re-structuring -- global meets local at the Asia Pacific Gateway
- Author(s)
- Kevin Ginnell (author), Patrick Smith (author), Peter H. Oberlander (author)
- Date
- 2008
- Abstract
- Vancouver's Port is Canada's biggest. On January 1, 2008, it got bigger — restructuring the Port of Vancouver, the Fraser River Port Authority and the North Fraser Port Authority, into a single Vancouver Fraser Port Authority, marketed (as of June, 2008) as Port Metro Vancouver.[1] This new entity was the culmination of a process of divestiture, re-organizational adjustment, shift to market orientation and consolidation that has played out over several decades across Canada's ports. This article examines some of this recent history — both in terms of (i) divestiture and increased market orientation and (ii) more recently, major port consolidation — and governmental responses to ensure Vancouver remains Canada's busiest port and a central part of the country's Asia-Pacific Gateway and Corridor Initiative. (APGCI) [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Department
- Political Science